Woods' slip offers hope to rivals

Having extended his overnight advantage from three to five after eight holes the wobble started with a bogey at the ninth.

He then had four pars on his back nine, including one from a green-side bunker on the par-five 13th, but lipped out a five-footer for par at 14 which saw him drop to seven under par. That was one in front of Ernie Els and Woody Austin.

Austin was two shots back at the time, at four under-par, but missed a golden opportunity to put the heat on Woods by sliding a five-foot birdie try at the fourth just past the hole.

Stephen Ames, playing alongside Woods in the final group, wilted in the heat. He bogeyed his first two holes and not even a birdie at the third could revive him as he three-putted from about 25 feet on the par-five fifth for his third bogey of the day.

Els carded birdies at three, five and eight to move to four under and he added another at the 10th.

After a bogey at 12 he responded with consecutive birdies to move within two of the lead before Woods' uncharacteristic slip gave the chasing pack a glimmer of hope.

Simon Dyson posted the clubhouse lead at level after a sparkling 64. The Yorkshire golfer carded seven birdies, including one on the last, with just one bogey to make his first appearance in the PGA Championship one to remember.

"Everything just seemed to click today," Dyson said. "It was good, one of the best days I've had for a long time."

Colin Montgomerie was three under for the round after a birdie at 15, his fifth of the day, but he faded down the stretch.